Language/Georgian/Grammar/Dative-Case
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As a Georgian language teacher with 20 years of experience under my belt, I am excited to take you through the fascinating world of Georgian grammar, specifically the use of the Dative case. The Dative case is an important part of the Georgian language as it is used to express the indirect object of a sentence. In this lesson, we will cover the basics of the Dative case.
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Inflection of adjectives with nouns & Adjectives Degrees.
What is the Dative Case?
The Dative case is the fourth of the six cases in Georgian grammar. It's used to indicate the indirect object and can also express the meaning of "to/for" in English. It's used to answer the question "to/for whom?" and usually follows a preposition or a verb.
Just like any other case in Georgian, the noun changes its form in the Dative case. It's important to note that the Dative case often looks almost the same as the nominative case, except for a few situations where the word ends with "-s" or "-sh".
Here is an example of a noun changing from the nominative to the dative case:
| Georgian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| მასთან (mastsan) | [mɑstʼɑn] | with him |
| ბავშვებს (bavshebs) | [bɑvsʼɛbs] | to the children |
| საქართველოს (sakartvelos) | [sɑkʼɑrtʰvɛlɔs] | to Georgia |
When to Use the Dative Case
Here are the main scenarios where the Dative case is used:
Indirect Object
The most common use of the Dative case is to indicate the indirect object of the sentence. This can be seen in the following example:
- მე ვერ გადავიდე მასთან. (me ver gadaviDe mastsan.) - I couldn't go with him.
In this sentence, "mastsan" (with him) is in the Dative case and answers the question "with whom?"
After Prepositions
The Dative case is also used to express the meaning of "to/for" after certain prepositions. Here are a few examples:
- მე გავიგე სალოდან. (me Gavige salodan.) - I heard from the hall. - მე უნდა ვწვებოთ ზღვაზე. (me unda vtsvebot zhzaze.) - We should swim in the sea.
In both of these sentences, the location is expressed through the Dative case.
After Verbs
Verbs that imply giving or showing something to someone also take the Dative case. Here is an example:
- მე გავაცემ წიგნს მამას. (me gavacem Tsigns mamaS.) - I gave the book to my father.
In this sentence, "mamam" (to my father) is in the Dative case.
Exceptions to the Rules
As with any language, there are always exceptions and the Georgian language is no different. Here are a few exceptions to the basic rules of the Dative case:
Location
There are some situations where the Dative case can be used to indicate location. For example:
- გადადი ბინაში. (gadadi binaSi.) - Go into the house.
In this sentence, "binashi" (into the house) is in the Dative case.
Compound Words
Some compound words change the final -i to -ad in the Dative case. For instance:
- ხელით ვდებით. (Xelit vdEbit.) - We walk on foot.
In this sentence, "xelit" (on foot) changes to "xelad" in the Dative case.
Conclusion
The Dative case is just one of the six cases in Georgian, but it's an important one as it's used to indicate the indirect object in a sentence. I hope this lesson has given you a good understanding of how the Dative case works and when to use it. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.
Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Adverbs produced from Adjectives & Participles of medial verbs.
Other Lessons
- Adverbs of Time
- Noun Gender
- Questions
- The postposition of the Adverbial
- Cases of Verbal Persons in Transitive Verbs
- Transitive Verbs VS Intransitive Verbs
- Compound Prepositions
- Noun Inflection
- Expression “traveling by...”
- Adjective Agreement
Sources
- Georgian grammar - Wikipedia
- Appendix:Georgian noun declension - Wiktionary
- Dative Experieneer Verbs in Georgian:
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